Shoegaze fans rejoice as Slowdive gazes toward Arizona

On April 28, I was graced with the presence of one of my favorite bands, Slowdive, after they sold out The Van Buren as part of their 2024 tour in America.

Originally from the United Kingdom, the band formed in 1989 and is considered one of the most prominent artists in the shoegaze genre. The band’s first two albums, “Just For a Day” and “Souvlaki,” were harshly slammed by critics. 

Its third album, “Pygmalion,” took a different route within the group’s music. The band moved away from its previous sound in favor of an ambient sound. After the album was released, Slowdive was dropped from its record label and went inactive for 22 years.

In the 2010s, however, its maimed reputation was mended by critics and music lovers across the internet, with the band receiving the appreciation it lacked after its initial releases. 

I have been a fan of Slowdive since I was 17. During our time in isolation, my friends and I were talking about the new kinds of music we were discovering, with Slowdive being recommended to me. After becoming a fan and continuing to listen to the band for years, I subconsciously convinced myself I would never get to see this band live in concert. 

Suddenly, I am at The Van Buren, watching Drab Majesty play the final track of its opening set, “The Skin in the Glove.” My friends and I eagerly waited for the headliner to come out. After Drab Majesty wrapped up, the crowd did not thin out as I had hoped, but we managed to weasel our way as close to the stage as possible.

Slowdive’s band members walked out one by one, accompanied by the screams of fans. Starting their set with their single “Shanty,” followed by the energetic “Star Roving,” set the scene for a relaxed, chilled-out show, or so we thought.

When the band played “Souvlaki Space Station,” a six-minute trance of delayed guitars and reverb-filled percussion, hues of white and blue filled the stage. To my surprise, I looked around and saw people headbanging to the song despite the dreaminess of the music. 

The third-to-last song was “Allison,” a fan favorite. So far in the set, this song got the most praise the second the first chord was played. Despite the eruption of cheers from the audience, the band remained humble, choosing not to speak between songs other than singer Rachel Goswell giving a quick “Thank you” after each track. 

After “Allison” faded out, there was a moment of silence and darkness, only the whispers and murmurs of the fans around me audible. The band started to play its song “When the Sun Hits,” its most streamed song on Spotify. About a minute into the track, I saw a small mosh pit open up at the very front of the crowd, which was the last thing I expected to see, given that Slowdive’s is relatively soothing.

At this point, I had only one other friend with me as the others got lost in the crowd, and we seized the opportunity to get to the front of the audience while the song continued playing. After securing our spacious spots at the front, Goswell prepared to play the band's last song: “40 Days.” 

Just like “Allison” and “When the Sun Hits,” “40 Days” is another fan favorite. Despite the gloomy tone and depressive lyrics, everyone around us was ecstatic to be hearing their favorite song. Even Goswell and singer and guitarist Neil Halstead had smiles on their faces. Once the song concluded, the band briefly walked out before returning to play an additional three songs as an encore.

Starting with “Sugar for the Pill,” followed by “Dagger,” the audience continued to live in this moment of fine appreciation. The final song the band performed was one of my favorite moments in the show.

Gosell had begun singing the band’s cover of “Golden Hair,” a song by Syd Barret of Pink Floyd. After Goswell finished singing the verse, she slowly walked backstage with her cloak blowing behind her. The rest of the band continued the rest of the song without Goswell, playing an intense build up followed by a crushing breakdown, concluding with the band walking backstage, waving to fans as they did so.

Slowdive’s performance is likely the most beautiful live set I have seen, and I loved seeing how it transformed its older music for a live audience, playing around with the effects and sound while staying true to what fans know. 

Seeing an older band, especially with relevance to a genre like shoegaze, is an opportunity that does not come around often. Slowdive did not disappoint, and I would give this show a 9/10.